Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Lacking a crew; operating without a human operator or occupant: Describes a vehicle, machine, or system that functions without a human being physically present inside or directly controlling it.
   • Not manned; devoid of people: Can describe a place or post that is temporarily without its usual human attendants or staff.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The government launched an unmanned probe to study the asteroid.
  • The factory uses unmanned robotic systems for assembly overnight.
  • During the storm, the lighthouse remained unmanned.

Advanced Usage

• "Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)": A technical term for a drone, an aircraft piloted by remote control or onboard computers.
  • The military uses unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance.
• "Unmanned ground vehicle (UGV)": A vehicle that operates on land without a human occupant.
  • The unmanned ground vehicle was deployed to inspect the hazardous area.

Variants and Related Words

• Unman (verb, rare/archaic): To deprive of courage or strength; to cause to lose manly qualities.
  • The sight did not unman him. (Note: This is a different, less common word and not a direct variant of the adjective "unmanned".)
• Manned (adjective): The direct opposite, meaning operated by or carrying a human crew.
  • The manned mission was a historic success.

Synonyms

• Crewless: Lacking a crew.
• Autonomous: (In context) Capable of performing tasks without human intervention.
• Remote-controlled: Operated from a distance.
• Automatic: Operating by itself with little or no direct human control.

Related Phrases

• Unmanned space mission: A spaceflight without human astronauts aboard.
  • The unmanned space mission collected valuable data from Venus.
• Unmanned post: A position or station, like a security booth or ticket counter, that is temporarily without a person assigned to it.
  • The entrance was guarded by an unmanned post with only a camera.

Related Idioms

Adjective

1. lacking a crew
   • an unmanned satellite to Mars